Duration hrs v.s. Resourse hrs

[Murf]

Can someone explain the collation between inputting a duration time for a
task and the outcome for the resource. Another words I input a task that
takes 4 hours. I use 4 resources (people) at 100% to complete the task. Does
project accept this and thinks it’s actually 16 hrs (4 people X 4 hrs) or
does the task formula in project still come on to 4hrs.

Now part 2. If I am trying to keep everyone at a 8 hr day, this 4hr task is
assigned to the 4 people, some of the personnel will be over 8 hr day because
of other tasks. How/when will project move-split the 4 hrs to the next day?
And against which resource? Do I need to input the 4 hr task 4 times to keep
each resource in-line for a 8 hrs day?

I’m a novelist, so be gentle if the question sounds silly……………..thanks

I am using MS Project 2003.

 

[Jim Aksel]

Duration: The passage of time, has nothing to do with "work"
Work: THe amount of time it takes to accomplish a task.
I can perform 2 hours or work over a duration of 2 days.

Units: The % of an employees available time assigned to a task.
So, if I am available 8 hours per day and the normal work day is 8 hours
assignming my units as 50% to a task creates 4 hours of work for me on each
day of the task duration.

Task Type: Tasks may be Fixed Work, Fixed Duration, or Fixed Units. You
also have the choice of Effort Driven.

Work= Units x Duration. Pick two. Project calculates the third respecting
the task type.

Example: Duration 5 days, Fixed Units. I assign Johnny at 60% so the work
is 5*8*60% = 24 hours. If I change the Duration to 6 days, work will jump up
becuase Johnny shall be at 60% (Fixed Units).

Example: Duration 5 days, Fixed Work. I assign Johnny at 60% so work is 24
hours. I change the duration to 6 days. Johnny's units% goes down becuase I
gave him more duration to do the fixed 24 hours of work.

In your examples -- 4 people for four hours is 16 hours of work in 4 hours
of duration.

You may use Tools/Level Resources to reallocate overallocated resources. You
may set Resource Leveling to automactic but few of us do that... better to
set it manually to see what is going on.
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim
It''s software; it''s not allowed to win.

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project

 

[Murf]

Thanks Jim, this was very helpful.

Just one more thing, what triggers Project to move forward to the next day.

Example: I'm assuming Project is trying to keep the flow to a 8 hr day. So
if you have a 2 tasks durations set for 4 hrs. Several personnel (recourses)
are working it at different levels 50%, 35% and 100%............... what
triggers Project to move on to the next day, especially if there was some
time duration blend over from previous day?

Yesterday’s Task #1 9 hours (so 1 hour should be brought forward to today)
Resource #1 100%
R2 35%
R3 50%
Today’s' task #2 4 Hrs.
Today's task #2 4 Hrs.

V/r
Murf

 

[Jim Aksel]

Tools/Change Working Time/Options...
You can specify the number of work hours in a day.

When the amount of work exceeds the number of hours in a day, it spills over.
Be careful, you can type 1 day duration and then type 9 hours of work and
that will overload your resource.

It all comes back to Work=Duration * Units and the task type (fixed units,
work, etc)
--
If this post was helpful, please consider rating it.

Jim
It''s software; it''s not allowed to win.

Visit http://project.mvps.org/ for FAQs and more information
about Microsoft Project